


Everyone But Him

by Gildedmuse



Category: Rent (2005), Rent - Larson
Genre: Angst, F/M, HIV/AIDS, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, One Shot, One-Sided Attraction, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Post-Canon, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 18:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18666013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gildedmuse/pseuds/Gildedmuse
Summary: Everyone thinks Roger is the one breaking Mark's heart





	Everyone But Him

**Author's Note:**

> [Posted to LJ in 2006]

**Everyone But Him**

  
  
Everyone thinks that Mark loves Roger.  
  
Everyone thinks the filmmaker has the unrequited crush. He is, after all, the one who looked after Roger when he got sick (the one Roger clung to, made him promise never to leave because nothing would be worth it if Mark isn't there), the one who has always tried his best to make Roger happy ("Get out of the loft," Mark would say. "You should try dating again, Roger. You should get out more" like Roger wants to date just any girl) and never gave up on him even when pulling through looked impossible ("You promised, Mark. You promised you wouldn't leave.")  
  
Everyone thinks that Mark is in love with Roger, because it just makes sense. The way he always hangs out with Roger ("Better company than Maureen," Mark admits. "I mean, it's either you or her and Joanne calling each other baby names all day.") or that he's always so close to Roger (scooting across the couch so they're both huddle in the middle for warmth, standing shoulder to shoulder down the street and blaming the crowd jostling him around). Watching them, you'd be surprised how many people think Mark is in love with his best friend.  
  
Everyone thinks Roger broke his heart. First with the drugs (that all started before Mark. Would he have ever wound up there, with April, if Mark had come into his life first?) and then Mimi ("Wait, I thought you said she was sweet," Mark insists. "She obviously likes you. Why don't you just go out with her?") It's all an endless pattern of Mark getting his hopes up only to have Roger destroy them (breaking up with Maureen, coming back to the loft drunk and falling on the nearest thing - Roger - and for a few seconds their lips were so close...)  
  
Everyone thinks if one of them where in love with the other it would be Mark, because Mark shows all the signs. The obsessive need ("I can't go without you, you know that.") the way other priorities take a back seat when it comes to Roger ("You just call, and I'll come back.") the way he's willing to compromise so much for his roommate. It's so obvious it almost hurts everyone else, watching poor, helpless Mark while Roger is utterly oblivious and utterly in love with Mimi.  
  
Everyone thinks they have Roger and Mark's dynamics figured out.  
  
"Where's Mimi," Mark asks, taking off a reel of film from his camera and trying to fit on another. Roger sits across from him on the cold floor, watching Mark's fingers tangle themselves in the metal body of his camera.  
  
"I thought we could do something," Roger says, not meeting Mark's eyes but concentrating on his long, pale fingers as they click a few loose pieces into place. "Maybe go to the Life Café, grab something to eat."  
  
"We don't have any money," Mark says, winding the film back. "I'm going to go out filming, anyway."  
  
"You film too much," Roger argues. Mark meets his eyes, raising an eyebrow to suggest that idea of being able to get too much on film is insane. "I could go, too."  
  
"You'd be bored," Mark answers without a second's hesitation. He grunts as he climbs back to his feet. Roger stays on the floor, watching his best friend pull on his scarf and jacket. "Besides, wouldn't you rather spend time with Mimi?"  
  
Everyone thinks it's Roger who's breaking Mark's heart.  
  
"I guess," Roger sighs, giving up and resigning to one more day spent without Mark. "I just thought-"  
  
"See you later, Roger."  
  
Everyone would be wrong.


End file.
